India Streamlines Natural Gas Pipeline Infrastructure with Landmark Order

The Indian government has introduced a landmark order to boost infrastructure and ease of doing business in the natural gas sector. The Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026 was issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and comes into immediate effect.

The order aims to address long-standing challenges such as delays in approvals, regulatory uncertainty, and restricted access to land. It introduces a uniform regulatory framework covering the laying, building, operation, and expansion of pipelines, standardizing procedures, timelines, and charges.

A key highlight is the introduction of time-bound approvals with deemed clearance provisions, aimed at eliminating procedural delays and improving efficiency. The order also provides a harmonized framework across jurisdictions, removing fragmentation in permissions and eliminating arbitrary levies and charges.